This time of year, it’s normal to be overwhelmed by store shelves full of greeting cards, candy hearts, and heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and to dread having to pick out the perfect gift for your special someone. However, it’s not normal to dread an evening with that special someone because of the pain you experience each time you have intercourse.

Even though one in three women say they’ve experienced pain during intercourse, it’s not supposed to be that way. It doesn’t matter whether you’re 18 or 81, sex shouldn’t to be painful for you.

I've dealt with a lot of men and women who think that pain during intercourse is normal and “just the way it is.” That's not the case. I've been able to work with each of them to explain what causes discomfort and to help them achieve pleasurable, pain-free intercourse through physical therapy.

What to expect

When you seek therapy to relieve pain during intercourse, you’ll work with a physical therapist who’s specially trained in pelvic floor rehabilitation. Patients typically go to therapy once or twice a week for two to six months, depending on the severity of the case, and work on these four components: